Arsenal chief Vinai Venkatesham admits Ivan Gazidis' departure for AC Milan was a "surprise".

Venkatesham insists despite the management changes, he expected the former chief exec to stay on.

He said, “It wasn't a plan. It was a surprise. It is usually a surprise when a chief executive leaves an organisation unless it is in trouble or failing and Arsenal is not a failing organisation or in trouble.

"I was surprised and I think Raul was surprised. That is common, what normally happens.

"The positive thing for Arsenal is that over the past few years we built up the capability, we can manage these transitions.

"Obviously Raul (Sanllehi) and my jobs have changed and that gets the media and fan focus, but there are internal people in the organisation who have stepped up into the roles we were doing.

"To use a football analogy we have a great bench and I am proud of how we have been able to manage quite a significant thing in a chief executive leaving, and two people in previously senior roles stepping up and so far everything has been filled by people stepping up to the next challenge."